27 February 2011

On my travels, most of the trouble I have encountered has been due to confusions over language. The same applies when I am at home, even though I live mainly amongst English speakers. Do I make myself understood here at Continual Journeys?

I recently wrote, in this blog, on the topic of conversing. In another of my blogs, called By Any Other Name, I have investigated ideas about language more deeply. Here are some links there:

I have a habit of confusing words. This includes mixing up exhibition and expedition from time to time. I have visited a large number of exhibitions over the years, in many different places. You may think of my blogs as being exhibitions of one sort or another. You may even think that I am making an exhibition of myself in my attempts to write reasonably well here.

In my travels, I have been part of several expeditions. Your explorations here may also be like experiencing an expedition, especially in the parts you find most difficult to comprehend. The expeditions I have experienced have been of the cultural, inquisitive and exploratory kind, rather than the military, though I have explored military history from the safety and comfort of my living room.

Sometimes, expeditions are the source of future exhibitions, especially of some important objects of times past.

The primary purpose of my involvement in expeditions has been to gain an understanding of something I value, namely the sharing of discoveries that other people may subsequently find useful and interesting. My continual journey into the art of expression and reflection through language may help me to share some of those discoveries with you.

21 February 2011

Do you travel mainly to seek excitement or mainly to seek peace? Do you seek instant gratification by escaping now and paying later?

Do you travel to gain a better understanding of the world, or of yourself, or of the world as you believe other people experience it?

Do you save up for months or even years so that you can afford to travel without debts? Do you prefer to take out a loan and then pay it off after your adventures are over? Do your journeys, and your life, have anything to do with self control?

Social life is usually more peaceful when people have self control. Our travels, and our relationships, can be easier if we are able to control our reactions to difficult situations so that we can respond in the most suitable way.

I have noticed that the people I prefer to be around, and to work with, usually have better levels of self control than I do, especially when faced with obstacles or unpleasantness. I like to be around people who help me to think better, which usually means that they are also cheerful, helpful and willing to tolerate my impatience!

17 February 2011

When you travel, do you talk about different things with the people around you than you do when you are closer to home? What are your usual topics of conversation? What are the cultural and conversational confusions you have experienced?